Supabase

A hosted Postgres platform bundling database, auth, storage, edge functions and realtime, positioned as an open-source Firebase alternative.

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Supabase is an open-source backend-as-a-service built around a dedicated, full PostgreSQL database provisioned per project. On top of standard Postgres it layers auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, authentication, file storage, realtime subscriptions, edge functions, and vector search, positioning itself as an open Firebase alternative. Because each project remains a real Postgres instance reachable through standard connection strings and tooling, teams keep direct SQL access rather than working against a proprietary datastore.

Key features

Managed PostgreSQL with auto-generated REST (PostgREST) and GraphQL APIs
Row-level security for fine-grained authorization
Built-in authentication: email, social, magic links, MFA, and SAML SSO
Realtime subscriptions, broadcast, and presence over WebSockets
S3-compatible file storage with CDN and image transformations
Deno-based edge functions and pgvector embedding storage for AI/vector search

Specs

Category	Managed database
Engine	PostgreSQL
Pricing model	tiered
Free tier	Yes
Regions	multi-region
Self-hostable	Yes
Open source	Yes

Last reviewed 2026-07-16 — see our methodology. Specs, pricing and free tiers change often, so confirm current details on the provider before deciding.

Pros & cons

Our editorial assessment — not vendor-stated facts.

Pros

Uses real, standard PostgreSQL with direct access (psql, pg_dump, connection strings), reducing vendor lock-in
Bundles database, auth, storage, realtime, and functions behind one control plane, cutting integration overhead
Open-source stack with a self-hostable option
Good developer experience: dashboard SQL editor, instant APIs, and client libraries across multiple languages

Cons

Costs can climb because egress, compute, storage, and add-ons (PITR, custom domains, branching) are metered separately on top of the base plan
Row-level security is powerful but has a learning curve, and writing correct policies often takes iteration
Support is community-only on the free tier; paid plans add ticket/email support, but SLA-backed and dedicated support (including a private Slack channel and 24/7 response) is reserved for the higher-priced Team and Enterprise plans
Free-tier projects pause after about a week of inactivity and are capped at two active projects, making the free tier unsuitable for always-on production apps

Pricing

Organization-based pricing with a usable free tier (tight limits, and projects paused after roughly a week of inactivity), plus paid Pro, Team, and custom Enterprise plans. Billing is usage-based on top of a flat plan fee, metering egress, compute, storage, and premium add-ons separately, though spend caps are available on paid plans (on by default on Pro) to limit surprise charges.

Who should use Supabase?

Best for developers and startups who want a Postgres-native backend with built-in auth, storage, and realtime, minimal infrastructure management, and lower lock-in than proprietary BaaS platforms. Less ideal for teams needing deep low-level database control or predictable flat-rate costs under high, spiky usage.

Frequently asked questions

Does Supabase have a free tier?: Yes.
How much does Supabase cost?: Organization-based pricing with a usable free tier (tight limits, and projects paused after roughly a week of inactivity), plus paid Pro, Team, and custom Enterprise plans. Billing is usage-based on top of a flat plan fee, metering egress, compute, storage, and premium add-ons separately, though spend caps are available on paid plans (on by default on Pro) to limit surprise charges.
Who should use Supabase?: Best for developers and startups who want a Postgres-native backend with built-in auth, storage, and realtime, minimal infrastructure management, and lower lock-in than proprietary BaaS platforms. Less ideal for teams needing deep low-level database control or predictable flat-rate costs under high, spiky usage.